Two ethanol facilities in the Midwest are being recognized for reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions equaling the amount of pollution from almost 6,000 cars annually. Energy Star awards will be given to these facilities at the 23rd Annual International Fuel Ethanol Workshop and Expo in St. Louis, Mo.

EPA will award ethanol facilities in Missouri and Illinois for using Combined Heat and Power (CHP) to reduce their energy use by more than 12 percent. By installing a CHP system designed to meet the needs of the facility, a CHP can increase operational efficiency and decrease energy costs, while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

One of the award winners, Macon Municipal Utilities reduced their energy use by 25 percent. Macon Municipal Utilities installed a 10 megawatt (MW) natural gas-fired combustion turbine CHP system at its 45 million gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Northeast Missouri. The CHP system will likely reduce greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 28,000 tons per year, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of more than 4,500 cars.

At its 40 million gallon-per-year ethanol plant in Illinois, Adkins Energy LLC, decreased their energy use by 15 percent with a 5 MW natural gas-fired combustion turbine CHP system. The CHP system reduces greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 8,700 tons per year, which is equivalent to the annual emissions of 1,400 cars.

CHP, also referred to as cogeneration, is an efficient, clean, and reliable approach to generating power and thermal energy from a single fuel source. Fuel ethanol is one of the fastest growing segments of U.S. industry. Dry mill ethanol plants are an excellent application for CHP with their large electric and thermal loads. With CHP, ethanol plants can reduce the energy intensity of ethanol production by more than 12 percent.